Holistic Diet for a Dog
Chronic canine health issues such as allergies, seizures, degenerative arthritis and kidney failure have been increasing at a staggering rate. Thorough research into processed dog food's actual ingredients are alarming at best. In addition, commercial pet food recalls have all led to a growing demand to feed a holistic diet. A holistic diet is tailored to a canine's health and nutritional requirements.
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Raw Diet
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Raw meat is an excellent part of a holistic diet. Dogs are considered carnivores. Most of their diet should be based on high-quality raw protein. Protein sources include pork, poultry, beef, lamb, fish, rabbit and more. Meat can be fed whole or cut into smaller manageable pieces. Minimize gulping and encourage chewing by cutting chunks to a size no smaller than the dog's head. Raw bones are equally necessary to a holistic diet. Raw bones do not splinter and they clean and remove plaque from teeth. Organ meats such as liver and kidney should be added periodically. The base diet should consist of 80 percent meat, 10 percent bone and 10 percent organ meat.
Cooked Diet
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Cooking food is another alternative for providing a holistic diet. Cooking homemade food is another alternative for providing a holistic diet. Many dogs have difficulty digesting grain. Some dogs have developed allergies toward grain, therefore eliminating grain is beneficial. Cook protein sources such as poultry, beef, pork, fish and lamb among others. Do not include bones, as they will splinter once cooked. Natural enzymes lost during the cooking process need to be supplemented to aid in digestion and eliminate free radicals. Add organ meat as well as vitamins such as A, D and C when feeding a cooked diet. Canine formulated vitamins can be fed in the form of pills, powder, capsules, gel or liquid.
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High-Quality Kibble
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High-quality kibble should have meat as the first ingredient. Provide dogs with kibble containing human-grade ingredients with meat as the initial ingredient and preferably with a meat source listed as the next several ingredients. If grain is part of the diet, look for whole grains instead of grain fragments or flour. Many holistic dog foods are available grain-free. Grain-free kibble contains higher protein levels, higher nutrient levels and are easy to digest. Canned foods are another option and some offer up to 95 percent meat content. Canned food isn't subjected to the same high processing temperatures as kibble, therefore it retains a higher nutrient level. Look for foods without chemical preservatives such as ethoxyquin or propylene glycol.
Omega Fatty Acids
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Fish oil capsules are an excellent source of omega fatty acids. Omega fatty acids are an important addition to all holistic diets. Omega-3 and omega-6 are two crucial fatty acids required for optimum canine health. They assist with reducing inflammation, improve joint health and nourish the skin and coat. Poor quality foods contain too much omega-6 as it is less expensive and more stable than omega-3. Provide a fatty acid supplement with both ingredients as they cannot be synthesized by the body. Fish oil or fish oil pills from sources such as salmon, marine fish or deep-sea fish offer usable fatty acids.
Antioxidants
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Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which are an byproduct of metabolism. Free radicals in proportionate amounts are necessary to combat viruses and bacteria. In excess, they cause damage at the cellular level. Vitamins C and E provide exceptional antioxidant activity as well as assist with other metabolic functions. Vitamins can be given alone or mixed with food.
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References
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- Photo Credit german shepherd puppy image by Jeff from Fotolia.com meat 2 image by Susan Rae Tannenbaum from Fotolia.com meat image by Svetlana Kashkina from Fotolia.com Close up of dogfood and rewards. image by Saskia Massink from Fotolia.com Fish oil vitamins image by Stephen VanHorn from Fotolia.com Vitamin C image by Mykola Velychko from Fotolia.com
